For those that use Becker...defend it

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For those that use Becker...defend it

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Started 1 year ago by Oceanman
Latest reply from Abe Froman

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Oceanman

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I just finished taking FAR a couple of hours ago and that test was a beast. This was my first of the exams and I prepared using Becker.

I should preface by saying that I understand every exam is different. I don't mean to scare anyone about to take the test either. I think that the Becker review is ok, and you will do fine, just not as good as advertised.

My question is for people that have used Becker for multiple exams and believe it is worth it. While I'm not saying that I failed, I really don't think I did as well as I should have considering how much I studied (pretty much 5-6 days a week for at least 5-7 hrs per day for 7 weeks). I also have a very strong academic background for financial accounting classes. After taking the test I feel that the actual Becker review did not help very much. Most of the subjects that the class really emphasized were not heavily tested. Some were not tested at all. I understand that it is a broad test of an extensive list of subjects but I feel that it did not adequately prepare me for the exam. How well I did on the exam had most to do with the knowledge I had before I started studying as well as picking up little details from the becker text that weren't emphasized or even covered.

My point is that while I understand they cannot prepare you for every single possible question, I don't believe it was worth nearly the $3000 I pd for every section of review materials. I think I would have been just as well off buying the cheapest review book and reading it over several times on my own so that I would have as much knowledge as possible. Rather than waisting time listening to the lectures I could have read and re-read the text to focus on the small details that I felt were so important on the actual exam. I also think that the practice m/c questions were ok but by no means extensive and I wasted a lot of time learning how to do problems I never saw on the exam

Has anyone else felt like this after an exam? I have done some research into other reviews but can anyone else suggest another one that they felt was good? I am taking auditing next (in this window) but am strongly considering returning Becker for the above reasons.

I know it's a rant and a half but I really don't feel great about my exam experience relative to my preparation.

FAR-92
AUD-94
REG-87
BEC-(April)
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Posted 1 year ago #
whitesoxfancpa

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Results speak for themselves. I'd wait until you get your score first. Remember, the point isn't to enjoy it or learn anything. The point is to pass the exam.

If you passed the exam using Becker, it's tough to say that Becker wasn't effective.

I felt HORRIBLE coming out of my first exam. I was sure I had failed. I called my brother, who had just passed his last exam a couple years before, laughing, telling him I'd be taking AUD again. He told me he felt like sh*t coming out of all the exams.

I ended up with a score I would have never imagined in a million years. Ditto for FAR and REG.

Wait until you get your results to pass judgment on Becker. You may be surprised at how effective it was for you.

Or maybe you'll fail miserably and want to try a different review program. Either way, just take a deep breath and don't get yourself too worked up until you see your score.

Good luck to you.

AUD 96 FAR 95 REG 94 BEC 88

Posted 1 year ago #
2010Please

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I was a little frustrated with Becker on my REG section, mainly because it downplayed an area that turned out to be an entire simulation on my exam. However, I have to say, I still got an 85 overall because I knocked the socks off of all the MCQ and did decent on my first simulation, thanks to Becker.

I thought Becker prepared me very well for AUD - 92.

I have some complaints about the lack of explanation with some things in B5 BEC, but still think I did okay on the actual exam - have't got my scores back yet.

I haven't taken FAR yet - but I have ordered Yaeger as a supplement to Becker, just in case - because of the way I felt about some areas of BEC in Becker (I have Jeff's notes for FAR too) - Yaeger should be here tomorrow and I'll have a better idea of what I think of it after I have a chance to look at it. :)

If you stick with Becker, I suggest reading Becker texts (more than once) more than I would suggest focusing on watching the lectures. I generally just push through the lectures pretty quickly to get the mnemonics, etc., written down that the lecturers present, but otherwise, I tend to understand more from reading on my own and practicing problems than from watching Becker's lectures - Becker's lectures are really just reading from Powerpoints, for the most part...why I decided to invest in Yaeger too for this section - to listen to a teacher go over the material too.

AUD 92, REG 85, BEC 90, FAR 85
Ethics 100
Obtained License 7/11/11 :)

Posted 1 year ago #
herbert7890

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Look at the highest scores in this forum: Potatogun, whitesoxfancpa, Florida_Candidate, Dale, ItalianCPA and a few others, they all used Becker....................

FAR 88 - BEC 86 - AUD 90 - REG 85 - I'm DONE!!!!
Licensed CPA - Puerto Rico

Posted 1 year ago #
whitesoxfancpa

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Stop Herbert, you're making me blush!

Add yourself to that list. I think you're using Becker and you scored an 88 on an exam that gives a lot of people fits.

AUD 96 FAR 95 REG 94 BEC 88

Posted 1 year ago #
michelle119

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Oceanman - I did pass with Becker the first time around, well with at least 3 exams hoping to get all 4 done, but I do think for the money they charge they could do a better job at their lectures, they are ridiculously dry and I wish I had found this site prior to buying Becker so I could have done some research on other exam prep software out there. I think Becker's works if you have a solid foundation of the material and need some refreshing, at times I think they move to quickly and are way too confusing on some of their topics where I have to go pull out my school books and look up things. If you don't think you are getting your money worth then return Becker and get Yaeger or just the wiley book and cd if the lectures aren't your thing... best of luck!

FAR 7/2 - 88
BEC 7/30 - 87
AUD 8/27 - 80
REG 11/12 - 96

Posted 1 year ago #
herbert7890

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yes Whitesox, I'm using Becker for all the exam sections but you guys are out of my league. I feel my only chance to score in the 90's will be on AUD, which im taking on November.

FAR 88 - BEC 86 - AUD 90 - REG 85 - I'm DONE!!!!
Licensed CPA - Puerto Rico

Posted 1 year ago #
WI_11

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Who gives a rats patuty about getting a 90, all that matters is is a 75!

AUD 89
BEC 84
FAR 87
REG 94!! ALL DONE

Posted 1 year ago #
potatogun

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Ya, and I am only using Becker because it was free from a Big4. So I can't say I defend it for the cost. But I mean it works for me, but I would make anything reasonable work if I had to.

I also think paying for things like final reviews or crams are a bit ridiculous from the standpoint that you would hope the courses would provide such types of reviews for summary purposes as part of the main product. But the demand to ensure passing is obviously there so I can see why...

FAR 92 - AUD 91 - REG 94 - BEC 86

Posted 1 year ago #
Oceanman

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Thanks for the responses everyone. This site is really great and everyone tries to keep one another positive which definitely helps.

@whitesox I understand that the ultimate goal is to pass the exam but there are many different means to an end. Just because I pass with Becker doesnt mean that I couldn't pass with another review (Based on how much time I put in I feel like I could have gone back through my old notes and textbooks and passed). Like I said I don't necessarily feel that I didn't pass, I just feel that for the price, I expected Becker's required study regimine to have me fully prepared if I put in the time. I not only did the required but also supplementary problems (a few times) as well as several reviews of the text. Last night I literally looked through the entire book and was so bored because I felt that I knew most everything from it and there was not much else I could do. Again I appreciate you trying to help and I know that the exam makes everyone feel that they didn't do well, but my gripe is more with the review not being as good as it claims rather than just being inadequate. I really hope you are right with being surprised by my score.

And I don't mean to come on here to just vent about Becker. I plan on starting with AUD next week and I just wanted to see what others thought about the program after taking it or if anyone else might have felt the same way and made a switch. Or maybe if it were just for FAR because its such a broad exam and maybe Becker is better for others?

I wish I could divulge some of the exam material just to see if it was abnormal. For perspective, I took two sets of notes while reviewing; one was actual notes and the other was formula-type notes of the biggest subjects (like how reconcile a particular account from beginning to end). These were the subjects that were really heavily weighted in the hw m/c. I went through the 15-20 or so subjects with "formulas" after the test and counted a good portion that were not even mentioned on the test. I also had many questions that were not mentioned at all in lectures (although some were in the text, just not in the lectures). I would give actual numbers for areas not tested but dont want to break any rules, but it was much more than I thought. After going through my notes after the test, it felt like I wasted a lot of time learning subjects that were not even touched on the exam, while things that were not mentioned had several questions.

@herbert yeah I know that some people do really well using becker (like yourself), but like WI _11 says a 75 is all that matters in the end. I'm really hoping that I am one of those with a very high FAR score, but if I get it I'm just not sure I can attribute it to the study program. I also think there is a relationship between the individuals that you mentioned and how much they care about the test: These people are the types of candidates that (like us) were really concerned with doing well on the exam and passing the first time. Therefore, they went out and bought the most expensive and highly regarded review product, studied hard and passed the test with great scores. I would argue that this type of individual could have done well with other review products, but based on the type of person they are, bought the best one because it was important for them to do well in the first place. That being said I feel that Becker may have an unfair advantage with pass rates based on the type of candidates they attract; the ones that would put in the time to make sure that they pass.

To clarify my question I just wanted to see what anyone thinks "seperates" Becker from the rest based on review quality? Is it the lectures? The m/c practice? Because I don't feel as if the lectures helped me too muchAs I mentioned I want to get started on AUD soon so any feedback would be a great help.

@michelle Thanks for the advice, I will consider those other options for sure.

@potato gun I also felt like it was almost insulting the way that they tried to sell you additional materials (during the lectures no less) after you just paid so much for their review. Like you said you would think that what they sold you would be enough to make sure you pass.

Thanks again for all the responses.

FAR-92
AUD-94
REG-87
BEC-(April)

Posted 1 year ago #
italianCPA

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It worked for me, especially in AUD.
Never been an auditor in my life (and never took a class in auditing) and I studied it in a week while going back to Italy for a family emergency. It really does a good job at explaining the concepts and the logic behind it. Once you understand why and how auditors work, almost every question is answerable.
I can't say for FAR, obviously I got a great score, but FAR is by far (pun intended) the area where my professional background helps the most. Still, I think they did a great job with the mnemonics. The amount of stuff to remember is massive.
I had a decent background in BEC (academic rather than professional), and I studied it for 2 weeks, so I'm satisfied.
I'm studying REG, and have no background in taxation (besides very little on individual taxation from personal experience).
My test is on Friday, still have three and a half days to review the other six chapters.

FAR - 7/26/10 - 95
AUD - 8/10/10 - 88
BEC - 8/31/10 - 88
REG - 10/15/10 - 95

Posted 1 year ago #
CPAWannaBe

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Becker is an excellent review program. I passed REG and AUD with it. It is great for theory and concepts. For example, I never took a gov't or NFP class in my life and had zero experience in those areas and auditing, yet I did well on the exams on those topics solely based on Becker's review. When I walked out of REG though, I felt exactly like you. I thought Becker did not prepare me at all

FAR is such a crap shoot as far as what they will test. I've taken it three times and spent countless hours on topics that Becker said were on there and I never saw them once. I'm still going to study them because next time, I may get nailed with those topics. I also got simulations on topics I still can't find out how to answer.

For FAR, I switched to Yaeger. They explain the concepts, journal entries and more of the basics that I need to work through the calulation-based problems. If I don't pass this time, it's obviously user-error. I'll probably use Yaeger for BEC too.

REG - 75 (expired, retake July 2011)
FAR - 69, 64, 67 <-Becker, 80 <-Yaeger
AUD - 82 ETHICS - 100
BEC - 72 (retake May 2011)

Posted 1 year ago #
DocHalladay

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I will defend Becker from here to the moon (I went 4 for 4), but I will also defend my study habits, # of hours studying and dedication to studying. Becker was very good, but it's your effort that can make or break your score. Becker puts as much information as possible (in an organized manner) in their materials. It's up to you to translate the hours spent studying to success on exam day. I will say, however, that if there are topics you don't understand in Becker, I see no problem supplementing your materials with Yaeger, etc. Whatever helps you understand what you're studying.

Posted 1 year ago #
TSM

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I was very skeptical about using Becker at first. The primary reason is that one of my close friends who was also preparing for the CPA exam at that time told me that she doesn't like Becker at all and wouldn't recommend it. She just loved Yaeger and would brag about it (she passed all 4 sections). She mentioned that she had studied using Becker, but didn't think that the material was adequate. However, I chose Becker because my brother (who is also studying for CPA) highly recommended it. I have bought Bisk (nearly 5 yrs ago) and Yeager (nearly 2 yrs ago) for BEC with the desire for studying for the CPA exam. However, I wasn't very serious about it and didn't dedicate much time to it. But in 2010, I enrolled in the Becker class and really wanted to get this done with. I have to say that I really liked Becker and it works for me. I took FAR in Aug and passed it on my first try. I really believe that it adequately prepared me for it.

This is what I think about review courses. It's not a matter of which one is best. It is a matter of choosing what style works for you. I personally like Becker for the following reasons. I am not someone who likes to sit down and read much. I get easily distracted when doing this. The Becker lectures which goes in a systematic order (page by page) helped me get a brief idea of the material first and then when I go back to read it, I can understand it better. It highlights the important topics. The PassMaster is awesome because it reinforces many of the concepts. I really hope that it would work for me for AUD, REG, & BEC as it worked for FAR.

The key is to pick the one that really suits you. But then again, the time and effort you put into it matters much more. No matter which review course you pick, make sure that you work the MC questions as much as you can. Good luck!

Texas: FAR 83 (8/25/10) | AUD 83 (11/22/10) | BEC 78 (2/26/11) | REG 90 (7/9/11)
End of a two-year long CPA exam journey!

Posted 1 year ago #
MPoni123

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I thought Becker's strongest section was AUD. I also used Becker for REG, too and did well. BEC was another story. I am very happy I switched to Yaeger because Becker was not cutting it and I think part of doing well on these exams is knowing when certain study material isn't working for you and to trust yourself enough to switch materials! I went with Yaeger for FAR, too honestly because I loved their teaching style in BEC and didn't wanna listen to Tim Gearty or Peter Olinto anymore (especially in FAR). It did the trick because after 4 weeks of studying, I passed with a 75! :)

Really though, everybody learns different. I wouldn't knock Becker because I passed 2 of the sections with it...but it might be a little overpriced for what you get.

AUD - 84; REG - 90; BEC - 79; FAR - 75; ALL DONE!!

Posted 1 year ago #
CPAWannaBe

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Crazy coincidence???

The simulation I had before that I could never find an answer to... Gary went over it in the lecture I just watched. Now I hope I get that dang sim again! Becker didn't touch it.

REG - 75 (expired, retake July 2011)
FAR - 69, 64, 67 <-Becker, 80 <-Yaeger
AUD - 82 ETHICS - 100
BEC - 72 (retake May 2011)

Posted 1 year ago #
connieCPAin2010

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I used Becker and passed all 4 parts on my first attempt. I purchased the whole deal before I found this site and so much support for Yaeger. I agree that your review course has to match your learning style. If you are struggling with Becker, then take an honest look at your study habits: are you dedicating the time and effort you should be to this task? If so, then maybe you do need to try another review program.

In addition to Becker, I used and LOVED Jeff's notes and Club 75!

BEC 79 (1/05/10)
REG 80 (3/05/10)
AUD 82 (5/28/10)
FAR 79 (8/27/10) I'm DONE!

Posted 1 year ago #
AU1222

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I only used Becker because it was provided by my Big 4 employer. I can tell you with 100% certainty that I would not have selected it as a review program if I had to purchase it on my own. Like a PP said, I think I could have made anything work...I have a friend I met when I went back to school to get my accounting hours who only used the Gleim texts/questions and passed the CIA, CPA and CMA all on his first try. I think CPA review materials are VERY subjective as what works for one person might not work for another. We all have different study styles--I personally only watch each lecture once and skim the text because doing MCQs is how I learn best. I can't say I would defend *or* rebut Becker's quality, but I did have some issues that lead me to a less positive review of the software.

For FAR, I had a both a defective CD-ROM *and* book that they refused to replace. The CD ROM would not download lectures 5-8 (which are probably the hardest collectively) and my book was missing several pages in random places throughout the text. I had to self study through those chapters with the half-a$$ Becker book, a Gleim book that I had already purchased and a Bisk book that someone lent me. It was a piece-mealed effort. I barely did any of the Becker supplemental problems, instead focusing on Gleim's test bank. I used Becker progress exams and the two finals to gauge where I was in my studies. I studied about 20 hours a week for 5-6 weeks and walked out of the exam feeling defeated. Needless to say, I give Becker some, but not a significant amount of credit for my FAR score (and an F- for customer service). Another Becker FAIL was that both of my written communication tabs for my AUD exam covered the same topic, a topic that was not covered by Becker. I was lucky that it was something I had studied in my audit classes; however my instant recall isn't what it once was.

So, I guess I can say I'm kind of indifferent. I use it because I have it, but I don't think it's the key to my success.

FAR-97
AUD-94
BEC-91
REG-96...DONE!

Posted 1 year ago #
PSU06

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I cannot say whether Becker is good or not, but the cost for the course is ridiculous --unless your employer pays for it! I used Yaeger. I studied and passed all the exams in July/August. I think Yaeger is great, but I also did what I needed to do to pass. Considering I paid somewhere around 1/3 of the cost of Becker, I am very happy with my choice to use Yaeger.

FAR - 7/7/10 - 94
BEC - 7/24/10 - 77
AUD - 8/17/10 - 97
REG - 8/31/10 - 80

Posted 1 year ago #
herbert7890

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congrats PSU, You got amazing scores!.

FAR 88 - BEC 86 - AUD 90 - REG 85 - I'm DONE!!!!
Licensed CPA - Puerto Rico

Posted 1 year ago #
studyingismynewhobby

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I used Becker for both FAR & AUD and was planning a wedding reception during that time. I did everything they suggested MCQ 90+ 2x each, read the book 2x, watched all lectures, read all supplemental text.

If you're good with Becker's teaching style if you do what they suggest I think it seriously improves your chances and you will pass. However, I sure didn't trust it before I got my results for my first exam. Felt horrible coming out like they hadn't prepared me, I was pleasantly surprised during score releases.

I also paid for it myself, but probably would have considered other material if I had not bought all 4 at once and had found this site earlier in my study program.

FAR - 87
AUD - 88
BEC - 88
REG - waiting

Posted 1 year ago #
herbert7890

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I paid half the price, because I live in Puerto Rico

FAR 88 - BEC 86 - AUD 90 - REG 85 - I'm DONE!!!!
Licensed CPA - Puerto Rico

Posted 1 year ago #
75 CPA

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The biggest bang for the buck is Yaeger (Cindy and Dr. Phil Yaeger) for FAR, REG and BEC, and Lambers (http://www.Lambers.com)(Garland) for AUD.

I have tried most of the CPA exam review programs, including Becker, Yaeger, Lambers, Bisk, Roger, Kaplan and Gleim. Becker is a good review program, especially for AUD, but Becker is the most expensive program and it expires after 18 months. Yaeger and Lambers are the best teaching programs, period!

My hat goes off to Dr. Phil Yaeger and Cindy for helping me pass all of the CPA exams. My last exam was on July 9th, but it all seems like a distant memory.

Good luck to all CPA candidates. If you are dedicated to doing whatever it takes to pass these exams, no matter how long it takes, you will pass all four exams within the 18 month window.

Posted 1 year ago #
Unreal

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I used Becker. My scores defend it.

To address your other concern, I probably would have passed with scores just as high if I had used another review course. You pay about $1,500 extra compared to competitor review courses. I don't know how other review courses are handled, but I think what separates Becker from the competition are the live lectures.

I haven't read all of the posts here, but people have different studying goals. I wanted to complete the entire exam over the summer, and I accomplished just that.

With my scores, I still came out of 3/4 exams (not REG) feeling like I failed, especially FAR. I even got on the phone with two of my friends who took the exam around the same time I did and we all thought Becker was crap because we thought we had all just failed. That was for our 1st exam, FAR.

In the end, all review courses will structure your studying to pass the same exam. No review course can claim to be so amazingly different than the other unless they take the exam for you. There is no magic way to present study materials to charge extra for, that's just good advertising on Becker's part.

FAR 08/02 - 95 || REG 08/11 - 98 || AUD 08/23 - 91 || BEC 08/31 - 90

Posted 1 year ago #
Oceanman

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Thanks again for all the posts everyone. As a few of you have stated, I really wish that I would have found this site before I bought the materials. This site is truly the greatest resource for CPA candidates.

FAR-92
AUD-94
REG-87
BEC-(April)

Posted 1 year ago #
75orbust

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If I was at a firm that paid for my review materials I would have probably used Becker because the results speak for themselves but I don't and I was fine with that. I used Kaplan and had a discount so I only paid about $500 for the study materials. They provide everything- online archieved lectures, textbooks, MP3 files for listening while driving, huge MCQ bank online, lot of simulations, and flashcards. I decided to take the test over time and not have to forgo things I wanted to do but just had the goal to pass before 2011. I figured I had to get a year of experience before I could get licensed anyway so what was the rush. I passed all on the first try and Kaplan did prepare me well I think. I don't think I ever studied on a weekend and rarely had to say no to doing something because I had to study. I got a little time at work and studied at lunch or in the evenings. Not trying to brag but sounds like I am in the minority in the CPA exam review world to be able to say that.

I have heard mixed things about several different review materials from people at our firm and I think it basically comes down to the effort you put in and how well you can take a test, as well as your ability to retain information from college, working, and the review materials. Although this test is unlike most in the vastness of the material it covers because it forced me to change my study habits from memorizing the material in the day or two leading up to a test like in college to really learning the material and being able to adjust on exam day to different questions and reason through things well.

If you put in the time to learn the material in whatever review you get, you will pass. There is no magic formula for success that Beckers $3000 gives you, it may just help you pass quicker and give you more assurance with higher scores but unless you are in the running for the Watts Sells, who really cares if you get a 99 or a 75 anyway. Your license does not show your scores!!!! Even though I like a little cushion to help ease the mind during the lag time between taking it and getting your scores, Kaplan had little words of advice throughout the textboooks that said stuff like "ANY SCORE OVER 75 MEANS YOU OVER STUDIED!" or something to that effect. Which sounds stupid but really its correct, because in the end its just a PASS/FAIL test.

FAR-1/04- 86 KAPLAN Review
REG-5/12- 89 MN Licensed CPA
BEC-7/17- 81 ETHICS - 100
AUD-8/31- 85

Posted 1 year ago #
Dale

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I used Becker and scored 93, 94, 94, 97. I can't complain. I had been out of college for a decade almost and had forgotten most of it. I felt like I failed 3 of the 4 sections walking out of the testing center. I swore I failed REG and was ready to start restudying (it was my 97 section). I got damn near a perfect score walking out swearing I failed. Give your score a chance, it might surprise you.

I liked Becker. It was extremely well organized. In places (BEC-5 as pointed out above) I wish there were more examples. There are few topics they could do better on. Overall thought they prepared me well for the exam. There were a couple of oddball questions in each section but not enough to impact me.

RTCDQ!!.......Read the Cocka-Doody Question!
AUD-94; REG-97; BEC-93; FAR-94
see how I did it day by day: http://cpa-exam.dalesines.com
contact info on blog

Posted 1 year ago #
Jan_in_WI

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Late chiming in here, but I'll share my two cents. I'm using Becker (paid for out-of-pocket), and so far scored a 94 on FAR and 99 on AUD. I studied hard. Years ago, I bought some Gleim, Bisk, and Wiley materials, but never made time to study and never took the exams. Part of the reason I didn't sign up was that I felt completely overwhelmed at the volume of material covered. I think Wiley's materials in particular are too detailed and over the top. I appreciate Becker's more condensed approach. The goal is to pass the exam on the first try, and so far, it's working for me.

I will say that after the FAR exam (my first section), I felt ticked off walking out, as I did not think I had enough preparation for some of the detail required on the sims. I seriously thought I might not have passed. I had run out of time and left one of the research questions blank. It took days for me to come around and realize that this exam is not an ordinary test and that I shouldn't expect to walk out feeling like I aced the thing. First of all, it's adaptive. Second, not all of the questions are scored. Third, the sims and multiple choice, and written communication are weighted, so not every answer is of equal importance. I began to think through that maybe I had performed better than I thought. Boy, was I happy when I received my score.

Remember, this is not a normal test or exam, like we've all taken in college. It's a whole different game. The key is to learn to play the game. No matter which study materials you use, passing is achievable. When studying and while taking the exam, focus on maximizing points, i.e. don't spend forever trying to figure out one multiple choice question at the expense of time you could be devoting to more right answers on other multiple choice questions. Also, a study strategy is important no matter which review materials you're using.

After I took the FAR exam, I had a better idea of how to prepare for the AUD section. My studying became much more streatmlined, and I did a better job of organizing my materials. I also incorporated constant review as I worked through the content. I actually think the "how" is just as important as the "what" when it comes to passing these exams. The materials are just a tool toward achieving a goal. They are not the end-all in and of themselves.

Becker's strengths are their videos and pass keys within the text. I also found their flashcards to be extremely helpful, especially for theory stuff. I did not purchase their final review product. One complaint I do have with Becker is the need to manually write in the text updates, especially for REG. I know it would require a lot of printings on their part to keep everything current, but I am annoyed to have to spend so much time with that after I've spent so much more on their review products comparatively.

My goal is to pass each section on the first try and be done with this all. Becker has worked well for me so far. If all goes as planned, I will have passed all four parts within six months.

FAR - 94 (7/10)
AUD - 99 (8/20)
REG - 99 (10/15)
BEC - 88 (11/20)

Posted 1 year ago #
CPA Someday

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.. wait till you get your score.. Becker over prepares for every exam. They want to try their best to put you the best position, no matter what question you are given. I like 'am. I was mad after BEC because of certain topics that I had gotten, that Becker was severely lacking, however they still prepared me enough to pass!

I took FAR today.. I hope it will be a passing score.. fingers crossed... There were a lot of topics I studied in Becker that were no where close to being on the exam and VICE VERSA.. I had an entire sim that was barely mentioned in Becker.. still hoping for a passing score and will Thank Becker all the way!

REG 81; BEC 79; FAR 81!!; AUD 71, 92
Ethics 98

Illinois DOES post on Saturdays!!!

Posted 1 year ago #
TheNeverEndingStory

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Oceanman- I haven't had the pleasure of using Yaeger but Becker has done alright by me. In order to get the full benefit of it you have to go through the entire course. If you half-a$$ it you will be destroyed on the exam. The same probably holds true for Yaeger. Now even if you studied fully you have to remember this is the CPA exam which is known for psyching out even the smartest of students. So before you Becker Bash see how you did on the exam and then if you don't get what you were hoping for then by all means Yaeger bomb Becker and make the switch. Til then focus on the next exam with the same zeal as you did with FAR.

BEC-Passed, Reg-Passed, Aud-Passed, FAR- Nov 30, 2010 -PASSED

Posted 1 year ago #
tax_vixen

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Becker: I can't argue with FREE.

This comment brought to you by tax_vixen's employer.

But really, we'll see how I feel after taking FAR this week. Don't feel comfortable that I have the real concepts down....

AUD - 92 :: REG - 99 :: FAR - 92 :: BEC - 82

Posted 1 year ago #
BJIL

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I recommend Becker to everyone I know that's taking the CPA. It is VERY expensive in comparison to the other materials but I passed all 4 the first try, while working full-time and without putting in a huge effort. It's worth way more to me not having to re-take any section that spending than the extra $$$. If you're re-taking a test a few times, you're not really saving any money and think about all the extra time you're spending re-studying, etc. No one feels good walking out of a test no matter what materials they use so I think you should probably wait for your scores. I swore up and down I failed every single one. In regards to the comment about there not being alot of stuff tested from Becker on the actual exam, material makers aren't fortune tellers. You can't expect every topic in the book/lecture to be on the exam and vice versa. They base all review topics on past exams. Becker gets to the point and doesn't fill your head with useless, extra information. It's called a review for a reason. Before taking the CPA, you should already have a good foundation in accounting from college courses (hence the required 150 hours).

Posted 1 year ago #
Anna

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I am going to repeat what other were saying. Becker is a review course. It requires you to have a base of knowledge of concepts. From school, experience etc. So, financial accounting, cost accounting, finance and auditing were taught so well in my college - Becker just organized and enriched my scattered knowledge for those sections and shaped them to fit the CPA exam passing purposes.
I had one taxation and one business law classes in college. Unfortunately taught not too well. Becker just couldn't fill out those holes and I needed much more learning and many more MCQ than they offer. That is when I turned to Yaeger and Wiley.
As far as price is concerned - my company paid half and then I paid the rest over 6 months, I didn't even feel it.

BEC (82), AUD (86), FARE (75) => Becker 2009
REG (74),(74),(83) => Yaeger HS & Audio

Posted 1 year ago #
weareallone

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I too used Beckers. (+Wiley as supplement)

I paid out-of-my-own-pocket for the Ridiculously Expensive Review Package (RERP).

I passed all four sections on my first attempts.

Here is my view:

(A) Beckers is VERY expensive; however, try comparing Beckers, which is the most expensive review material out in the market, with Wiley, which is the cheapest. You will learn to appreciate Becker's well-organized and concise material.

(B) Now, how valuable is your time? how valuable are your feelings? how much would you pay to not have 'doubts' about the study material that you are using?

Let's say My opportunity cost for studying was $20 bucks-per-hour (Your opportunity cost can be whatever you want it to be, you can be a homeless person and say 1-hour of your time = $100, and I will take your word for it), and let's also say I studied a total of 800 hours to pass all four sections. I have absolutely NO DOUBT whatsoever that if I had used Wiley, it would have taken me X1.5 the study time to complete my studies compared to using Beckers. Shall we do some math? So 0.5 more time = 400 hours in my case.

400 hours * 20$/h = $8000. I could have paid $200 for Wiley and not $3000 for Beckers, but in the end, I would have PAID A PRICE FOR STUDYING EXTRA HOURS, and thus lost money by studying MORE hours and making my life/youth suck (perhaps you love to study unlike me haha). <- I just think this is a good way to think about it if you are doubting the cost v benefits. It helped me feel better about my decision!

In addition, to not have doubts about 'what would it be like to study with the most well recognized review material out in the market', which Beckers can also be priced as well. How much would you pay to not have doubts when you get stuck - when I was stuck with Beckers, I told myself, "if I cannot understand it with Beckers, then I bet I would not have been able to understand it with another review program" This helped me sleep better at night too.

(C) Walking out of the first exam, I too felt like I had failed = this is normal (Everybody I know + a lot of bloggers on this site seem to say this); my advice for anybody who has not taken the exam yet would be to "Over-study" for your first exam....

(D) Lastly, I must say, one thing for sure is that I will never "thank Beckers".

First, I see a lot of people thanking Beckers for their success. For me, thanking is something you do when you feel like you are in debt. For example, if I were at a bar, and I buy my friend a drink for $4, and in return, my friend disappears, then comes back with two hot chicks (lets say one of them looks like Jessica Alba), then I would thank my friend and feel in debt. I would thank him.

But as for Beckers, I won't be like "Thank you Beckers for helping me pass! <3" or "I will recommend Beckers to anyone because it is so wonderful!" because it is more of a deal = I pay Beckers good money for its RERP, and Beckers hooks me up....

REG[5/18] - P BEC[8/5] - P
FAR[7/9] - P AUD[8/30] - P

Posted 1 year ago #
75 CPA

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Becker has a lot of overhead in promotion and YOU pay for it. I have a friend who is a Becker representative. His job is to go to the colleges and to set up a Becker promotional network. You are paying for his salary and expenses plus the money that goes to the professors to run the "live" Becker classes, etc. All I needed was a $300 - $365 review course by a good teacher and the Wiley book to pass all of the CPA exams.

Posted 1 year ago #
mbvpia

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I used BECKER and paid for it myself. It was a steep investment, but my scores defend it!

I have been out of school for 8+ years and do not work in public accounting.

All I did was watch the videos and do all the MCquestions and a couple of the sims.

I have a hard time understanding how anyone could not pass using Becker.

AUD(Aug-5)=95
FAR(Aug-29)=96
BEC(Oct-11)=90
REG(Nov-8)=90

Posted 1 year ago #
CPAWannaBe

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Troll?

REG - 75 (expired, retake July 2011)
FAR - 69, 64, 67 <-Becker, 80 <-Yaeger
AUD - 82 ETHICS - 100
BEC - 72 (retake May 2011)

Posted 1 year ago #
mbvpia

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No intent to Troll...or offend.

I just think Becker is that good. I would have probably made in the 40's on all the sections if I took them cold, but with 3 weeks per section on Becker...I passed. The course is easy to use...they spoon feed you the info. It is just what I needed!

AUD(Aug-5)=95
FAR(Aug-29)=96
BEC(Oct-11)=90
REG(Nov-8)=90

Posted 1 year ago #
thorsbew

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Wiley book for all four tests = $160 expense
Passing rate = 3 out of 4
Payments on your tests = $260 average

Don't need to pass the BEC exam to figure out why I chose Wiley! :) And for me, it's not enough to pass. I want to feel like I deserve it and truly know the small niches of the exam.

Aud - 65 + 79, BEC - 82, REG - 89, FAR - 86

Posted 1 year ago #
mbvpia

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If we were only talking about actual $ spend, we would only recommend studying without a review course. That is the cheapest...and you can pass the CPA exam that way. But the time investment for most of us is as important (or more) as the expense.

Wiley Books = $160 + 1,000 (250 per test?) hours of total studying? Having to take (and pay for) a test twice and scoring mid-range scores when passed (=more stress).

Becker Self Study = $3,000 + ~200 hours (50 per test) of total studying. Passing all the first time with room to spare (=less stress).

For me, Becker, made more sense, but for those with considerably more free time in their life...Wiley is probably the better option.

I agree with the earlier post. I do not "thank" Becker really. I just recognize that they sell a premium product that has a premium price. Trust me, I choked when I found first looked at their prices. If you are under/unemployed and have endless time and a tight budget...Becker is NOT the best choice. But for busy professionals who want to ensure they pass with minimal study time...it is well worth the investment.

AUD(Aug-5)=95
FAR(Aug-29)=96
BEC(Oct-11)=90
REG(Nov-8)=90

Posted 1 year ago #
thorsbew

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mbvpia, I agree with everything you said except the 1,000 hours for Wiley books... I've spent maybe 75 hours per book (coincidence?!) and passed all exams that I actually put effort into. The one time I failed was due to rushing a test into January 5th before busy season and "studying" during Christmas.

I think it all comes back to study habits. I'm not a lecture person. I like to read things and figure out why we do them the way we do. It was hard for me to justify Becker when I saw just as many people saying it didn't work for them.

Aud - 65 + 79, BEC - 82, REG - 89, FAR - 86

Posted 1 year ago #
GET_IT

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It is normal to walk out of the exam and feel like garbage. I have a very strong academic background too and studied my butt off but, when I walked out of FAR I went straight into a bar where I drank away the frustration. However, I just got my score last Friday and passed. I think you will be surprised with your grade.

The problem is that most people taking the CPA exam have a strong academic background and are used to taking tests where you know all of the answers. The same cannot be true with FAR, the breadth is far (no pun) too large to know every question.

P.s. I used Becker and feel like it did an okay job getting me ready. However, there definitely were some subjects that it didn't even address that I ended up having on my test.

FAR: 86
BEC: 84
REG: 2011
AUD: 2011

Posted 1 year ago #
PSU06

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I disagree with the idea that Becker is so good that you have no doubts going into the exam. I think everyone must feel some doubt at least for the first test. I know several people who used Becker, and they felt doubtful and uneasy about all parts of the CPA exam. I used the Yaeger review course, and I had doubts with my first exam because I had no idea what the exam would be like.

Also, if you do a cost analysis of Yaeger, I feel confident that Yaeger would prove less costly than Becker.

FAR - 7/7/10 - 94
BEC - 7/24/10 - 77
AUD - 8/17/10 - 97
REG - 8/31/10 - 80

Posted 1 year ago #
killaking

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All I say is find someone that took Becker and use their "Becker Promise" paid 1400 for all four parts

FAR: 7/17/10 missed exam FML reschedule 8/29/10-77 EPIC!
REG: 5/31/11-73 SMH, 8/31/11-85
BEC: 4/15/10-72 : retake 10/3/10-80
AUD: 11/28/10-74, 02/27/11-71 FML, 8/1/11-80
Ethics 10/22/22-80, retake 11/28/11 - 88

Posted 1 year ago #
Sam2k

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I'm too lazy to read all the really long posts in this thread, but I reviewed with Becker. To me, the Becker lessons are nice (certainly not perfect), but the M/C are what's really useful. If you can work all the provided M/C like they're not M/C (solve the problem then find the answer), you shouldn't have any problem doing well on the exam. I don't know how many M/C the other review books provide, but Becker has tons and tons.

And in defense of Becker's honor, I did do pretty well on the exams that I've gotten scores back from. ;)

FAR - 98; AUD - 94; REG - 95; BEC - Waiting;
Becker Scholarship for Success (I got it free :))

Posted 1 year ago #
Liz317

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I've heard a lot of people say great things and not-so-positive things about virtually every possible study material out there. And all of us know that ultimately your success on the exam depends on YOUR commitment to it, not a review course. That being said, we would all probably also agree that the review course certainly plays a part in your success because of how it aligns with your study habits & needs (videos, audio, questions, text...). The idea is to find what's best for YOU. Ultimately any of them probably would help you pass if you had unlimited time/money/energy. But since you don't, you have to find out the most effective & efficient one and go with it. It sounds like after taking one part you have a good idea about what would work for you. My advice is go with that method and see if it works for you for the next part.

FAR - 92 --- AUD - 87 --- REG - 80 --- BEC - 87
A licensed CPA in Louisiana!!!

Dear CPA Exam, You are a beast. But you WILL be defeated!

Posted 1 year ago #
italianCPA

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I really liked becker.
It obviously worked for me.
I'm the kind of student who hates reading books (I rarely even bought books in college/business schools). I'd pay attention in class and take notes and then study on those.
That is exactly what I did with becker. Did not even touch the books, but instead gave them to my brother-in-law who is an accounting major in college (he appreciated the mnemonics and btw his midterms were as hard as the FAR exam, if not even more).
I had great knowledge in the FAR area and very good knowledge of the BEC area.
However, I had ZERO knowledge of the AUD and REG area, and it worked out just fine.

FAR - 7/26/10 - 95
AUD - 8/10/10 - 88
BEC - 8/31/10 - 88
REG - 10/15/10 - 95

Posted 1 year ago #
Abe Froman

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my experience with Becker so far...I have sat and passed BEC (89) and FAR (88)...I signed up for the live courses not because of the instructors but because I needed that structure to get serious and study for the exam...tell me where to be twice a week and to have my homework done before the next week and I will have it done...I tried self study for the GMATs...bought the nice review book...and it sat on my desk for months and I never opened it...I was afraid the same would happen if I bought any of the CPA self study books...so since Becker was the only review in NJ that offers live instruction I went with them.

now the live classes did nothing for me...I would go home and watch the videos after each class anyway...I found that in class I was spending too much time worrying about what I needed to underline/highlight and wasn't paying attention to the materials...but as I said before, the classes were a planning tool for me more than anything else...and the classes did just that for me...so much so that I was able to do the Becker self study for the AUD section...I just took it today so I don't have the results but feel I was very well prepared and did well

TL;DR: used Becker live instruction to give me structure in studying..took BEC & FAR and passed both...did Becker self study for AUD and feel it went really well!

Posted 1 year ago #